Folding towel rack



Aug. 9', 1938. G. STERRETT 2,126,513

FOLDING TOWEL RACK Filed June 24, 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Caf l (ly Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED srli'rlzs PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in folding towel racks, and the primary Yobject thereof is to provide a multiple arm rack having eXtensible arms adapted to be sheathed in a closed casing a when not inV use, so that they may be out of the way, kept in a clean and sanitary condition and protected against damage both in household se and during storage or shipment.

Another object is to provide a device of the character above set forth which embodies a casing serving as a mounting for the rack arms and in which a plurality of such arms are mounted for movement out of the same from a hidden position therein into angular relation to the casing and to each other and automatically assuming angular relation to each other as an incident to their movement out of said casing.

My invention is further directed toward providing a device characterized and functioning as above set forth and which is light in weight, strong and durable, inexpensive to manufacture and pleasing in appearance.

Other, and subordinate objects, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be clearly understood as the following description proceeds and upon reference to the accompanying drawing.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my novel towel rack with the rack arms sheathed in the casing.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, drawn to an enlarged scale and illustrating one of the rack arms projected out of the casing.

Figure 3 is a view in top plan.

Figure 4 is a view in transverse section taken on the line -A of Figure 2 and drawn to an enlarged scale, and

Figure 5 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 5-5 cf Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, my iml proved towel rack comprises a rectangular casing i, of any suitable material, comprising a front wall 2, a rear wall 3, side walls 4 and an open upper end 5. The front wall 2 terminates short of the side walls li to provide a slot or opening G in the front of the casing at the open end thereof. A right-angular nap-like cover 'i is hinged at one edge to the upper edge of the front wall 2, as at 8, to close the slot 5 and the open end 5 of the casing. The hinged edge of the cover 8 forms a ledge 9 below the open end 5 of the casing I for a purpose presently seen.

The rear wall 3 extends beyond the ends of the casing l, as at iii, and is provided with apertures, as at li, for securing the casing to alXed support as by screws or nails. v

The casing i is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending parallel slots l2 in opposite side walls, respectively, extending adjacent to the ends of said walls. A pin, or bolt, i3, is mounted at its Opposite ends in said slots to extend transversely of the casing and for sliding movement lengthwise thereof. The` opposite ends of the pin I3 are preferably provided with knobs iti for preventing displacement of said pins from said slots.

A plurality of rack arms l5, three inthis instance, are pivotally mounted Yat their inner ends on the pin it for telescopic movement into and out of the casing i and for downward swinging movement on said pin to project the arms through the slot into angular position relative to the casing 2. In this connection the relative arrangement of the parts is such that the upper ends of the slots l2 and the ledge il limit movement of the pin i3 and downward movement of the arms i5 to nx said arms in right-angular position relative to the casing i. The rack arms l5 are formed of telescopic sections i6, preferably tubular, and of any suitable light metal. The pivotal connection of the inner ends of the arms l5 is such that said arms, with the eX- ception of the center arm, may move laterally of each other into angular relation to the center arm and to each other as shown in Figure 3, such movement of the outer arms being limited by engagement with the side edges of the slot 5. To provide for movement of the cuter arms l5 into proper angular relation, the inner ends of said arms are provided with beveled faces i5 extending upon opposite sides of the pin i3 and co-operating in the lateral movement of the outer arms l5, to permit the inner ends of the arms to come together in close formation. In this connection it is to be noted that the faces it and the side edges of the slot 5 co-operate to limit movement of the outer arms i5 into angular relation.

The outer arms i5 are automatically swung into angular relation as an incident to their projection into the slot 6 by means of leaf spring members Il interposed between adjacent arms. In the present instance the spring members ll are formed in one V-shaped piece tted over the inner end of the center arm I6 and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

The sections i6 are provided with any suitable form of co-operating stops, such for instance as the lugs I8, for limiting their move-- ment outwardly of each other.

When not in use, the arms I5 may be swung upwardly on the pin I3 and thrust downwardly into the casing I with the section I5 moved inwardly to fully retracted position as shown in Figure 1. The cover l may then be swung over the end 5 of the casing to close the same. In order to extend the arms I5 into their projected position, it is merely necessary to pull the same out of the casing 3 and swing them downwardly on the pin I3, as a unit, into engagement with the ledge 9. Upon release of the arms, the spring members I1 will throw the same into the angular relation previously described.

The foregoing description will, it is believed, suiiice to impart a clear understanding of my invention.

It is to be understood, however, that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restricn tive and that right is herein reserved to modifications of details described, together with different relations of parts, falling within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. A folding rack comprising an elongated casing having an open upper end, said casing having a cut out portion in a wall thereof extending downwardly of the upper end and providing a ledge below the upper end of the casing, said casing having a pair of opposed elongated openings on opposite sides of said first opening and extending downwardly thereof, a plurality of arms adapted to be disposed in side by side relation within the casing when in collapsed position, said arms having the inner ends thereof beveled and alined opening through said beveled ends, a pin extending loosely through said alined openings and said elongated openings, and yieldable means carried by said pin between said arms and engaging certain of said arms outwardly of the inner ends thereof whereby to dispose said certain arms with their outer ends in divergence with the inner portions of said certain arms contacting with the sides of said cut out portion of said casing.

2. A folding rack comprising an elongated casing having an open upper end, said casing having a cut out portion in a wall thereof extending downwardly of the upper end and providing a ledge below thc upper end of the casing, said casing having a pair of opposed elongated openings on opposite sides of said rst opening and extending downwardly thereof, a plurality of arms adapted to be disposed in side by side relation within the casing when in collapsed position, said arms having the inner ends thereof beveled and alined openings through said beveled ends, a pin extending loosely through said alined openings and said elongated openings, knobs on the opposite ends of said pin outwardly of said casing, and elongated springs carried by said pin between said arms and having outer portions engaging certain of said arms outwardly of the inner ends thereof whereby to dispose said certain arms with their outer ends in divergence with the inner portions of said certain arms contacting with the sides of said cut out portion of said casing, said arms when in extended position having their inner portions resting on said ledge.

GLENN STERRETT. 

